Love Beyond the Mask novel Chapter 1301

4 a.m.

Whitney Valentine stepped off the private jet onto the tarmac at Banyan City International. The night sky was inky black, and the vast airport was eerily still—everyone else was long gone.

Suddenly, a small, frantic figure rushed up to the arrivals gate, her voice thick with tears. “Whitney!”

Whitney squinted through the gloom. It was Tiana Melford, drowning in an oversized sweater, her eyes rimmed red.

Whitney’s heart jumped. She hurried over, putting a steadying hand on Tiana’s arm and scolding her gently, “What the hell are you doing here?”

Her gaze slipped down—Tiana’s belly was unmistakably round, five months pregnant at least.

She did the math—they hadn’t seen each other in almost two months…

Since Whitney had returned to Capital City, Tiana had barely reached out. Whitney knew Tiana’s family drama was no joke, but she hadn’t even sent a selfie or a meme in ages.

Standing Tiana up straight, Whitney fussed, “Did you come alone? Parker Doonan would lose his mind if he found out!”

Tiana’s voice cracked. “Parker got pulled out by Ashton Fuller. They rushed off to save Valerie Bartels. He can’t stop me now. Whitney, let’s get in the car.”

“You brought a driver, right?”

Tiana nodded. She waved the car over.

The driver got out to load Whitney’s luggage.

Now she squeezed Tiana’s wrist and murmured, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Valerie had a baby and I didn’t even know…”

“I’m sorry, Whitney.” Tiana’s voice was small. “That call last time—Elaine Bartels almost hurt Valerie’s baby at the hospital. I lost it. I knew if I told you, you’d find a way to destroy Elaine.”

“But Valerie… she wouldn’t let me. She grabbed my phone, hung up on you, and even texted you herself so you wouldn’t worry. She said you had your own life, your own mess, that she couldn’t ask you to break the law for her.”

Tiana’s eyes went redder. “Elaine dodged the hospital cameras that night; Ashton was nowhere. It turned into another impossible mess. I tried to keep Valerie safe, Parker said he was coming back… But it’s only been a few days, Whitney. Valerie just couldn’t take it anymore. That kid is her whole heart. She’s desperate, and so disappointed in Ashton. She’s ready to risk everything just to give her daughter a sliver of peace.”

“So stupid,” Whitney muttered, a cold edge in her voice. “Valerie was always the toughest of us three.”

“But nobody can stay hard forever—not after years of this. She finally got a taste of freedom, but came back for her daughter… and it’s all Ashton’s fault! If he’d just dealt with Elaine sooner—” Tiana’s voice shook with rage.